Pump



Nov. 5, 1935.

R. E. L. HOLMES PUMP Filed May l, 1955 6M@ WMC ATTORNEYS Patented Nov.5, 1935 UNITED STATES massa PATENT OFFICE PUMP t p nahm n. L. animes,Clarksville, Mn. Application'rray 1, 1935, sensi No. 19,253

, 14 Claims.

whereby to minimize water hammer and to relieve the structure of shocksand jars.

With the above and-other objects in view, the present invention consistsin certain features of construction and combinations of parts to behereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawing, andthen claimed.

In the drawing, which illustrates suitable embodiments` of theinvention,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a double acting deep wellpump in the installed positon;

Fig. 2 is a section similar to Fig. 1 in which the pump is provided witha modied means for cushioning the action of the same;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the coupling to which the adjacentends of the working barrels are connected; I

Fig. 4 is a section taken approximately on the line t-t of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the top of the pump rod showing theair regulating valve.

Referring .to the drawing, in which like numerals refer to like partsthroughout the several views, the pump structures shown in Figs. 1 and 2bothinclude a vertical column pipe I having a coupling 2 at its lowerend to which the upper end of working barrell 3 is secured, the barrel 3constituting the upper barrelv of the pump. The

lower end of the barrel 3 carries a coupling il which comprises spacedrings 5 and E connected by circumferentially arranged spaced webs l, thelower ring 6 being of less' diameter than the upper ring 5. 'I'he ring 5is provided with. ex-

ternal screw threads which threadably receiveV the upper end of a casingtube 8 that surrounds the webs l. y

The ring 6 is provided with internal threads 9 which threadably receivethe upper end 4 of a lower working barrel I0. The barrel I0 is of lesslength than the casing tube 8 and isv concentric with the outer casingtube 3 and spaced there` from to provide a circular chamber II. The cou`pling 4 is of such diameter that the outer wall of the casing 8coincides substantially in diameter with the vexterior of the coupling2, so that the column pipe and pump cylinder may be readily lowered intoa well within the ordinary fixed well casing which, however, isnot shownin the drawing.

The upper portion of the ring 6 is formed with 5 a taper seat I2 forreceiving a removable head I3 which forms the head for the lower workingbarrel IIJ. The seat I2 and the exterior of the head I3 arecorrespondingly tapered, with the taper at such an angle that the headmay be 10 tightly forced into the seat without liability of accidentaldisplacement, but at the same time u may be purposely displaced orremoved.

Secured to the lower end of the casing tube 8 is a coupling I4 having atapered seat I5 which 15 receives a valve body I6. The valve body I3 haspassages Ilia therethrough and carries a valve I1 which constitutes acheck or foot valve for the pump. The valve Il is movable on a stem i3against the resistance of a coil spring Ita. The 20 seat IIii and valvebody are suitably tapered so that the body I6 may be rmly seated againstaccidental displacement. y

Mounted within the upper working barrel 3 is a plunger I8b, which is.provided with a check 25 valve Isa. The plunger may be of any suitableconstruction. Y

A second plunger 20 is` positioned within the lower working barrel IIIand is provided with passages 20a therethrough, ,which are arranged 30to be closed on the down stroke of the plunger by means of a suitablecheck valve Zlib. The two plungers I8b and 20 are connected by means ofa pump rod 22 extending through the head I3,

a suitable packing 23 being disposed in the head 35 I3 to surround thepump rod 22, the packing being held in place by a nut 25 threaded intothe head i3.

Secured to the upper end ci the rod 22, which extends beyond the upperpiunger I8b is an in- 40 ternally threaded coupling 22a for receivingthe lower end of a rod 26, which may be assumed -to extend to the top ofthe wellfor actuation lit may be moved through the barrel 3 andthe footvalvebody i@ is of such diameter that it g5 maybe moved through thebarrell. In such a structure it is quite feasible to remove all thevalves and plungers when necessary for inspection or repairs'withoutdisturbing the working barrels in any way, and the valve and plungerstructures may be as readily introduced into the working barrels and thefoot valves seated without disturbing` the working barrels.

When the plungers are lifted, water is drawn through the foot valve intoboth working barrels, the plunger 20 drawing the water into the workingbarrel I0 through its lower open end and the plunger IBb drawing waterinto the barrel 3 by way of the chamber II and around the ring 6 throughthe passages dened by the webs 1, which passages open freely to thelower open end of the barrel 3 which is carried by the upper rings. Thewater is thus drawn into the pump on the up stroke of the plungers.

On the down stroke of the plungers the valve II is seated while thewater in the barrel I0 is forced out through the lower end of the barrelinto the chamber II, and past the coupling 4 through the passage thereininto the lower end of the barrel 3 with the water drawn into the barrel3, together with the water forced therein by the plunger 20, finding itsescape past the. valve I9a, which moves to open position on the downstroke of the plunger.

All the water passages in the pump are large and oii'er a minimum offrictional resistance to the flow of water through them, wherefore thewater moves with less speed than is usually the case where water mustflow through a hollow pump rod.

With the structure described the water. passages are all large inproportion to the area of the plungers, thus permitting the pump to berun at maximum speed while preventing excessive speed of travel of waterthrough the passages so that, because of the reduced frictionalresistance, there is a reduction of power necessary to force the waterthrough the passages, with a consequent saving of power.

The structure permits the use of the ordinary disk valve or ball orconical valve at the suction entrance or in the top plunger, withpractically no changes in their construction from such valves as areused in single acting working barrels.

There is a possibility of water leaking past the packing of the plunger20 and becoming imprisoned in the cylinder IIJ in the space 29 betweenthe plunger 20 and head I3, and should this leakage of water occur, thiswater, `on the up stroke of the plunger, when in suillcient quantity,will exert a greater pressure on the top of the piston than is exertedby the water on the under side of the piston, whereupon the valve 20hwill open and the pressure on the water above the piston will cause itto pass through the passages 20a and escape through the plunger.

. It has been found that in some instances a vacuum is formed in thespace 29 between the plunger 20 and head I3, in which event, when theplunger moves through its up or suction stroke, thevalve 20h remainsclosed 'and the leakage water within this space is drawn up by thevacuum and strikes the head I3 with considerable force. This action ofthe trapped water in striking the head I3 acts like a water hammer andin some instances causes a severe jar or shock, with the result that itis necessary to run the pump at a reduced speed.

It is the purpose of the present invention to minimize the jars andshocks caused by this actionA of the water within the space between theplunger 20 and head I3, and in Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown two differentmeans for accomplishing this result.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1 the packing gland nut 25 is providedvwith a series of spaced fingers 30 and arranged between these ngers 30are a. number of pneumatic balls 3I or other containers which areairtight and preferably of rubber-coated fabric. 'I'hese pneumatic ballsare compressible and function during the operation of the pump tocushion the action of the water which may accumulate in the space 29between the plunger 20 and head I3 so as to minimize or eliminate thejars which have heretofore occurred when the water strikes the head I3.

In the construction shown in Fig. 2 I have provided a means forintroducing air or other gas into the space 29 between the plunger 20and head I3. In this construction the plunger rod 22 is tubular and hasan aperture 32 therein, opening into the space 29 between the plunger 20and head I3. The lower end of this tubular plunger rod is closed in witha suitable plug, or is solid as shown at 33, and the upper end of thesame projects through the coupling 22a. In this construction it isnecessary that the sucker rod 26 rbe of tubular shape. The upper end ofthe tubular rod 22 is provided with a check valve 34 which opens lon thedown stroke of the plungers to allow air to be drawn into the spacebetween the plunger 2II and head I3 and is closed on the up stroke.

A suitable regulating valve 35 may be provided in the sucker rod 26, asshown in Fig. 5, at the top of the well at which the head is located, soas to regulate the amount of air drawn into the space 29 between theplunger 29 and head I3. The regulating valve 35 may be relatively small,as it is necessary to open it only an amount sufflcient to replace thesmall amount of air that is absorbed by the water and that is lostthrough leakage. The air which is permitted to enter the space 29 inthis manner acts as a cushion for the water which may have accumulatedwithin the space 29 and will prevent the same from striking the head I3with any appreciable force and will minimize the liability of theproduction of shocks and jars through the action of the vacuum that maybe present in the space 29.

In both constructions described pneumatic means is provided forcushioning the action oi the water which may accumulate through leakage,within the space 29. This cushioning oi' the water materially adds tothe successful operation of the pump, in that the pump may be operatedat higher speeds without being subjected to severe shocks and jarsarising from the water striking the head of the lower working cylinder.

Although several embodiments of the Invention have been herein shown anddescribed, it will be understood that numerous details of theconstruction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from thespirit of this invention, as defined in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a double-acting reciprocating liquid pump, a cylinder having ahead, a reciprocable plunger in said cylinder and spaced from said head,means for moving said plunger toward said head to create suctionpressure within said cylinder, and means within the space between saidhead and plunger for cushioning the action'of leakage liquid in saidspace and preventing the said liquid from impacting against said headduring the suction stroke of said plunger.

2. In a double-acting recriprocating liquid pump, a cylinder having ahead, a reciprocable plunger in said cylinder and spaced from said head,means for moving said plunger toward said head to create suctionpressure within said cylinder, and means within vthe space between saidhead and plunger for cushioning the laction of leakage liquid in saidspace and preventing the said liquid from impacting against said headduring the suction stroke of said plunger, said means comprising aplurality of compressible members disposed within said space.

3. In a double-acting reciprocating liquid pump, a cylinder having ahead, a reciprocable plunger in said cylinder and spaced from said head,means for moving said plunger toward said head to create suction'pressure within said cylinder, and means within the space between saidhead and plunger for. cushioning the action of leakage liquid in saidspace and preventing the said liquid from impacting against said headduring the suction stroke of said plunger, said means comprising apneumatic cushion within said space.

4. In a double-acting reciprocating liquid pump, a cylinder havingahead, a reciprocable plunger in -said cylinder and spaced from saidhead, means for moving said plunger toward said head to create suctionpressure within said cylinder, and means within the space between saidhead and plunger for cushioning the action of leakage liquid in saidspace and preventing the said liquid from impacting against said headduring the suction stroke of said plunger, said means comprising a bodyof air within said space and means for admitting the said body of airinto said spacev on the opposite stroke of the plunger.

5. In a double-acting reciprocating liquid pump, a cylinder having ahead, said head having' an opening therethrough, a reciprocablev plungerhaving a sliding t with said cylinder, said plunger being spaced fromsaid head and providing a space which is normally free of the liquidbeing pumped, a plunger rod connected with said plunger, said rodextending through and having a sealed sliding fit with said opening, andmeans providing a pneumatic cushion within the space between said headand plunger, whereby-to cushion the action of leakage liquid within saidspace and thereby prevent the leakage liquid from impacting against saidhead.

6. In a double-acting reciprocating liquid pump, a cylinder having aclosed head, said head having an opening therethrough, a reciprocableplunger having a sliding iit with said cylinder,

said plunger being spaced from said head vandprovlding a space which isnormally free of the liquid being pumped, a plunger rod 'connected withsaid plunger, said rod extending through and having a sealed sliding fitwith said 'open-A ing, and cushioning means within the space betweensaid head and plunger, whereby to cushion the action of leakage liquidwithin said space and thereby prevent the leakage liquid from impactingagainst said head.

7. In a double-acting reciprocating liquid pump, a cylinder having aclosed head, said head having an opening therethrough, a reciprocableplunger having a sliding t with said cylinder, a plunger rod connectedwith said plunger, said rod extending through and having a sealedslidage liquid from impacting 'against said head, said 5A cushioningmeans comprising a plurality of compressible members.

8. In a double-acting reciprocating liquid pump, a cylinder having aclosed head, said head having an opening therethrough, a reciprocable 1oplunger having a sliding fit with said cylinder a plunger rod connectedwith said plunger, said rod extending through and having a sealedsliding nt with saidopening, and cushioning means within the spacebetween said head and plunger, 15 whereby to cushion the action ofleakage liquid within said space and thereby prevent the leakage liquidfrom impacting against said head, said cushioning means comprising a.plurality of hollow airtight members. 20

9. In a double-acting reciprocating liquid pump,

a cylinder having a closed head, said head having an openingtherethrough, a reciprocable plunger having a sliding t with saidcylinder, a plunger rod connected with said plunger, said rod extendingthrough and having a sealed sliding t with said opening, and cushioningmeans within the space between said head and plunger, whereby to cushionthe action of leakage liquid within said space and thereby prevent theleakage liquid from impacting against said head, said cushioning meanscomprisingla plurality .of hollow airtight balls circumferentiallyarranged within said space.

10. In a double-acting reciprocating liquid pump, a cylinder having aclosed head, said head having an opening therethrough, a4 reciprocableplunger having a sliding fit with said cylinder, la plunger rodconnected with said plunger. said rod extendingthrough and having asealed sliding t with said opening, and cushioning means within thespace between said head and plunger, whereby to cushion the action ofleakage liquid within said space and thereby prevent the leakage liquidfrom impacting against said head, said cushioning means comprising aplurality of hollow airtight members, and a cage carried by said headfor supporting said airtight members.

11. In a double-acting reciprocating liquid pump, a cylinder having ahead, a reciprocable plunger having a sliding t with said cylinder,

a plunger rod connected with said plunger, and cushioning means withinthe space between said head andplunger, whereby to cushion the action ofleakage liquid within said space and thereby prevent the leakage liquidfromimpacting against said head, said cushioning means comprising aplurality of hollow airtight balls circumferentially arranged withinsaid space, and a cage for supporting said balls. A

12. In a double-acting reciprocating fluid pump for wells, a cylinderhaving a head, a reciprocable plunger having a sliding fit with saidcylinder, said plunger being spaced from said head and providing a spacewhich is normally free of the liquid being pumped, means forreciprocating said plunger, a'nd means for admitting air into the spacein said cylinder between said head and plunger whereby to provide apneumatic cushion for leakage liquid within 70.

said space.

13. In a double-acting reciprocating liquid pump for wells, a cylinderhaving ahead, a reciprocable plunger having a sliding fit with saidcylinder, said plunger being spaced from said head and providing a spacewhich is normally free of the liquid being pumped, a tubular plunger rodconnected with said plunger, said rod being open to the atmosphere atone end and closed at its opposite end and having a passage opening intothe space within said cylinder between said head and plunger whereby toadmit air linto said space for providing an air cushion .for leakageliquid Within said space, and check valve means in said rod to preventpassage of air through said rod from said space.

14. In a double-acting reciprocating liquid age liquid within saidspace, and an air regulat- 10 ing valve for said hollow rod.

ROBERT E. L. HOLMES.

